What's with the fiction about bad mothers? I read "Motherless Child" in a recent issue and today I read "To Do" in the new issue that just came out and now I'm all depressed.

It's a long literary tradition. Now try to find fiction from a mother's point of view. Until very recently it was almost nonexistent.

I decided not to read "To Do" because I read the first few paragraphs and didn't really get swept into it. I almost never read the short stories anymore.

But now, thanks to you, I've looked up "Motherless Child" and focuses on the character of Olive Kitteridge. That one I will read, because I read a whole book by Strout in the form of short stories with connected characters, Olive Kitteridge being kind of a central figure even though she wasn't in all the stories. I rarely read fiction, but I loved that book. And I'd read Strout has a new one out, so this must be an excerpt.

I have not yet started the Sept. 2 issue article about Iggy Pop, but I skimmed through it today on my way to the article about measles. I noticed a quotation from a New York Times article that referred to him as "Mr. Pop."

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"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

I have not yet started the Sept. 2 issue article about Iggy Pop, but I skimmed through it today on my way to the article about measles. I noticed a quotation from a New York Times article that referred to him as "Mr. Pop."

I just saw a similarly odd NYT honorifics situation lately. Can't remember what it was. Of course, there's the legendary (perhaps apocryphal) time they referred to the singer Meatloaf as Mr. Loaf.

Wonder what they do for people like Cher, Bono, Madonna and Prince? "Ms. Cher" would sound odd.

Wikipedia says that "he New York Times embraces the use of all three: Mrs., Miss, and Ms.,[23] and will follow the individual’s preferences."

I caught up on some reading while my computer was down. The review of "Cold Case Hammarskjöld" by Anthony Lane in the August 19th issue was good. It's important to know about historical figures like him when we despair about the elevation of thugs and criminals to the highest levels. "Surround Sound" about Erich Wolfgang Korngold, was also very good. Vinson Cunningham was not very impressed with "Sea Wall/A Life" but he blamed it mostly on Nick Payne rather than on Tom Sturridge or our Jake.

In the August 26 issue, I'd be interested in what you, Katherine, thought of "The Looking Glass" about Margaret Mead, the Boas school of anthropologists, and the supposed end of the nature-nurture debate. The article doesn't really answer the question, IMO, although maybe the book it is critiquing might. I like reading book reviews in TNY because then I don't feel that I have to read the book. Lazy me. "Skin Deep" about Renoir is also good. What's with these revivals and retrospectives of the Impressionists? They are happening almost as fast as Disney remakes!

In the August 26 issue, I'd be interested in what you, Katherine, thought of "The Looking Glass" about Margaret Mead, the Boas school of anthropologists, and the supposed end of the nature-nurture debate.

So you don't care what I thought of it? Actually, I enjoyed it. I'd heard before about Mead's work having been discredited. I keep forgetting I would like to learn more about Ella Deloria, because her family is, or was, distinguished. A Vine Deloria, Jr., presumably a relative, wrote a book called Custer Died for Your Sins, or something like that.

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I like reading book reviews in TNY because then I don't feel that I have to read the book.

Me, too, same here. I also like the movie reviews, theater reviews, and dance reviews for much the same reason.

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"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.